1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a pipe disconnection tool and methods of disconnecting pipes with the disconnection tool. More specifically, the preferred embodiment of the present invention relates to a disconnection tool for removing the male end of a pipe that is inserted into the female end of an adjacent pipe. The insertion tool fits around the male end of the pipe while the male end is inserted into the female end of the adjacent pipe, and, the disconnection tool inserts within a clearance and disengages the male end from the female end.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/365,000 offers a pipe connection system that allows for quick, secure connections to be formed between a pipe and a similar adjacent pipe. Unlike traditional pipe connections, the connection system in application Ser. No. 12/365,000 does not require gluing, threading, and/or welding to connect the pipe and the similar adjacent pipe. Instead, rigid fingers extend from an interior surface of the female end of the pipe and lock the male end of a connecting pipe into place within the female end.
The interior surface of the female end of the pipe defines a male end receiving chamber. The rigid fingers extend into the male end receiving chamber from interior circumferential grooves on the interior surface of the female end prior to insertion of the male end of the connecting pipe. The rigid fingers are displaceable and displace toward the interior surface of the female end during insertion of the male end. When the male end of the connecting pipe is fully inserted, the rigid fingers are positioned over corresponding exterior circumferential grooves on the surface of the male end and because the rigid fingers are biased toward their non-displaced position they extend into these corresponding exterior circumferential grooves.
The rigid fingers each have a distal end that enters into and remains within the exterior circumferential groove of the male end. The distal end of the rigid fingers abuts a sidewall of the exterior circumferential groove to prevent withdrawal of the male end of the connecting pipe from the female end of the pipe. Once connected, however, the male end cannot be removed from the female end without destruction of at least a portion of the pipe and/or the connecting pipe. As a result, the pipe and/or the connecting pipe cannot be reused. It is therefore desirable to have a disconnection tool for disconnection of the pipe and the connecting pipe which will allow reuse of the pipe and the connecting pipe, as well as a method for achieving such disconnection.